Hey everyone! If you go to my profile you can see a list of the tributes, with their names and ages, so you can keep track of who is in the Games! It will be updated regularly. If you like this story, don't forget to review, and enjoy reading! It's almost time to get into the Games themselves, so sit tight and enjoy! :)
Chapter 21.- Oak Peacewood
I gape at Orden and what he's created for me to wear at the interviews tonight. "How did you even make that?" I ask, looking at the dress that is made entirely of paper, ruffles and pleats and a train all made out of paper. "I have my ways, Oak. Try it on," he says with a smile. I try to smile back, then my prep team pushes past him and in no time has me in the elaborate costume. I thought it would be scratchy, but it isn't; instead it feels like silk. The prep team ties my hair into a twist, puts makeup on me, then pushes me out the door.
Caeso didn't even bother giving me an angle for the interviews. "You'll do what you're going to do apparently, because you're not 'a trained dog' or whatever. So good luck." I couldn't really say anything back to that. So now I find myself sitting beside Aldar, dressed in a pine green shirt and black pants. "How do you feel?" I whisper to Aldar. He shrugs. "I'm fine. I'm more worried about you." "Why?" He looks at me. "You haven't been handling the whole situation well up to this point," he says. I blush beet red. Whatever I'm going to say next gets lost with Octavio Floris announcing the start of the interviews. I watch the different tributes go up and note what angle they are in their interviews. The District 1 and 2s are all confident, both District 5s seem to be playing up the 'nice' angle. The little girl from 5 is very sweet. The boy from 6 is very quiet and seems very surly. He doesn't answer Octavio's questions, he spits them out at him. Then they're calling my name and I'm creakily walking towards the stage, up the stairs, and onto the seat across from Octavio Floris. And I find I cannot smile.
"Hello and good evening, Oak Peacewood! How are you tonight?" I look at Octavio. "As well as to be expected, I suppose." "I love your dress! Your stylist must be very talented," he continues. I give a nod. "Orden is a very good stylist." In horror I find that my answers are getting closer to how Jet from 6 was answering. But I can't stop myself. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" Octavio says cheerily, and his tone of voice sets me off. "Am I excited? What do you think? I'm going in there to be killed!" I think I take Octavio aback. "Don't count yourself out, my dear," he manages after a second. Some of the audience are laughing at me, I can hear them, and that sets me off again. "Don't count myself out? There are twenty-three of us that are going to die, and only one comes out. The odds aren't really with me are they?" I swear the buzzer goes off earlier than for the other tributes. "Well, thank you Oak Peacewood!" I get up as gracefully as I can, leaving my dignity behind me, and walk back to my seat. Aldar just looks at me.
"Aldar Grovepath!" Aldar gets up and walks past me up to the stage and sits opposite Octavio, where I was sitting. "Good evening, how are you tonight?" Aldar answers, "I think I'm well. I'm feeling pretty good about tomorrow too." You can see the relief in Octavio's face to get an easy tribute to talk to, between me and the District 6 girl, who wasn't a walk in the park either. I can feel my cheeks burning again; what on earth gets into me? "So, you're thinking you have a good chance at winning, eh?" "I hope so, but if I win then I lose something invaluable to me." "Oh?" I can tell the audience is intrigued. "I'd lose my best friend, because she's here with me tonight." I can actually hear the collective gasp from the audience.
"Now, Aldar, is she just your best friend, or is there something more going on?" Octavio asks. I can see Aldar flush from where I'm sitting. "Maybe," he says. I don't hear much more of the interview because my heart is beating in my ears. Then the buzzer goes and Aldar comes and sits back down beside me. He doesn't look at me. The rest of the interviews go by like a blur, with only a few sticking out for me: Beade from District 9 is breathtakingly beautiful, and that is obviously her angle, Buck from 11 is menacing. His district partner, Willow, is pretty and gentle, giving sweet answers. And the District 12s make no impression on me whatsoever, especially the girl. Dull as dishwater.
"Go to bed. I can't stand the sight of you," Caeso says, uncharacteristically angry. I look at Aldar once, then stomp off to my room, kicking off my heels on the way. For once I don't throw any china. I unfasten the dress and drop it to the floor, then press some buttons for the wardrobe for pajamas. I grab them and put them on, then I drop into bed. And I know I won' t sleep tonight.